Nanjing (CNS) -- Over thirty journalists from both Chinese and foreign media participated in a field trip to Jiangsu and Zhejiang, on the innovated anti-corruption measures, recently organized by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the Communist Party of China (CPC), the International Liaison Department of the CPC Central Committee, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
As is most significant in many cities of the two provinces, the attempts to combat corruption by means of network information and technology have achieved apparent progress, by speeding up information exchanges and exposing abuses of power to public sight. Weibo is the widely-recognized best example.
Officials: need for Internet supervision
In the short years since the advent of Weibo in China, the Weibo and Internet "anti-corruption coin" has two sides. How does the public regard its effects? What role has it played? If fabricated information is spread, is there any countering method to curb the negative influence of it and punish the ill-intended?
In the view of Long Xiang, member of the Nanjing Standing Committee and secretary at the city's Discipline Inspection Commission, the new information approaches did encourage the public to be engaged in anti-corruption activities and attained certain positive outcomes.
Its defects, though, might result in an absolute ridicule of the whole system just like in a recent incident where a girl claimed to be the mistress of a high official. The rumor was passed on among Beijing, Hangzhou, and Nanjing netizens, but turned out to be a fabrication.
For Zhou Tiegen, secretary of the Wuxi Discipline Inspection Commission, Weibo, the Internet, and other kinds of new technologies are important channels for prevention of corruption. Zhou also promised to take the revealed information seriously, undertake a formal inspection on its regard, and bring the offenders of the law to justice. Or else, if an investigation finds that the Internet message is false, the source of the information will certainly be traced back to and legally penalized.
A power-transparency network
Most corruption occurs in engineering construction projects. Nanjing has an "E-path Sunshine Construction Engineering Online Tendering and Bidding Platform" to achieve absolute electronic project processing.
The online system is supported with high security standards, timely warnings in unusual situations, and convenient functioning flow.
Despite this, VOA reporter Zhang Ming questioned its failure to curtail former Suzhou mayor and construction project bribee Jiang Renjie.
Long Xiang responded that the two-year-old online system is aimed at prevention of corruption. However, corruption always has its own way. An electronic system can't be the ultimate solution to curb governmental bribes. More efforts are anticipated in various aspects.
Foreign media: both public participation and inspection regime needed
The field trip gave foreign reporters a close look at this phase of the anti-corruption campaign in the two provinces. U.S. citizen Tom McGlade, employee at China Radio International, considers it necessary that China publishes its anti-corruption ideas and actions to the world and encourage more English reports of them.
Lucia Fabozzi, chief editor at the Italian newspaper Il Messaggero, acknowledged the successes of the governmental endeavors to increase administrative transparency, while underlining the importance of public participation as well as a comprehensive inspection regime.
Pakistani journalist Mehsud mentioned anti-corruption as a tough issue throughout the world and that any improvement is welcomed. Like a half a glass of water, the optimist will see "well, I have half," but the pessimist takes it as "only a half and about to be emptied." It is a notable fact that China is better than ever.
